History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 76

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections > Part 76

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The principal hamlet in the township is Truxville, a station on the Harvey Lake branch of the Lehigh Valley railroad, and is principally given over to the Wilkes- Barre butchers, and here they have their abattoirs and cattle pens. This is the nearest station to the Conyngham farm. There is a gristmill (water power from Tobey's creek) and a general store in the place.

Ice Cave, where is said to be always natural ice in a natural icehouse, is in a deep gorge, where the creek cuts through the mountain. It is also a stopping place on the railroad. There is a tavern at the place.

Carverton was years ago a farm postoffice, about two miles northerly from its present abode. When the postoffice was moved to its present place the name went with it. At old Carverton is a farm and church. At the present place is a store and postoffice all in one.

The Scotch Settlement is quite a well-known neighborhood, which lies back of Dorranceton borough. It would now be known as a "mining patch." It is laid off in lots and streets, and long rows of miners' houses.

Coopertown is similar to the above and abuts on it. The two are only separated by a road.

Wilkes-Barre Driving Park Association .- W. J. Harvey, president; George Parrish, vice-president; George P. Loomis, secretary; John Laning, treasurer. It is the main sporting resort in the county, situated in Kingston township just across the river from the bridge.

LAFLIN BOROUGH

Is a product mostly of the Laflin Powder mills that are within the borough. This industry represents 7 mills and necessary works scattered along up the hollow of Gardner creek. The buildings extend 2,000 feet in the deep woods along the creek. These old trees and the great shed protections along between the several different buildings are a great promise of protection in case of an explosion. The product is mostly blasting powder, of which the plant turns out an immense quantity to the trade annually. The mills were principally built in 1872 by H. D. Laflin and C. M. Rouse, the first cost of the plant was over $100,000, and additions and improve- ments have been added from time to time. The superintendent of the powder works, Thomas C. Nattrass, has been in the employ of the company fourteen years and superintendent in this place nearly three years. Twenty-five men are employed about the works; the firm name of the company is The Laflin Powder Company.

Laffin was organized and made 'a borough September 10, 1889. First officers:

597

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Burgess, Josiah Twist; council: John, George, C. M. Rouse, William Weaver, Anthony Brown, E. R. Scureman, Albert Williams. Present officers: Burgess, William Howe; council: Thomas Golightly, president; Josiah Twist, secretary; Thomas Nattrass, treasurer; William Weaver, Elijah Scureman and Mathew Hart.

The powder-mills, breaker and a general store constitute the business of the place.

LAKE TOWNSHIP

Was made a separate township in 1841, taken from Lehman and Monroe town- ships. It was called Lake because Harvey's lake is in it-the largest lake in the State as well as one of the most beautiful. The same year, 1841, the county of Wyoming was formed and the county line cut off a portion of Lake township and gave it back to Monroe township, leaving it as now with an area of thirty-four square miles; about one-eighth adapted to cultivation, the remainder is rough and hilly, some of it productive and all suitable for grazing; fine fruit is raised along the base of the mountains. Population: 597 in 1870; 1880, 863; 1890, 1,144.

Harvey's lake covers 1,285 acres; the water is of great purity. Perch and trout are indigenous; pike were placed in the lake by Hollenback & Urquhart, who owned nearly the whole of Lake township at one time. Salmon were put in the lake in 1876 by the State authorities. . It is now an important resort and all about it are cottages of people from all parts of the country. The evidences of the rapidly grow- ing importance of the place is found that within a few years the Lehigh Valley road extended its track from Wilkes-Barre to the lake, and then built from the lake to Pittston, and at the present time work is going on extending the railroad to the northwest, thus making the lake an important railroad junction and the place of easy access to the thousands that flock in that direction in the summer months. Excellent, but limited hotel accommodations and halls have been provided; and now is being prepared plans for a hotel and other buildings to meet the growing demands of visitors and cottage residents. Quite a village has sprung up and the evidences of growth and new inprovements are to be seen on every hand. Two small steamers find constant employment carrying the people across and around the lake. The time will come soon when Harvey's Lake will be one of the country's noted resorts. The Lake house on the eastern shore was built in 1857 by Henry Hancock.

The first white man who lived in Lake township was Matthew Scouten, who was employed by the owners of the land to look after the property, as early as 1792. He cleared a smal tract, where Jacob Sorber afterward settled, and set out a few apple trees.

Daniel Lee settled at the head of Pike's creek in 1806, and the marsh is called Lee's pond, from him. He was employed by the farmers of Plymouth to care for cattle, which were driven here to graze during the summer.

Otis Allen came from Jackson township in 1836, and began clearing in the vicinity of Lee's pond. He brought his family in the spring of 1838. During this year Josiah, Nathan and Stephen Kocher, brothers, moved into the township from Hunlock township, and John Jackson, Andrew Freeman, Thomas Lewis and Ephraim King arrived. In 1839 Jonah Roberts, Elon Davenport, Daniel Casebear, David Moss and John Fosnot came, and in 1840 Moses C. Perrigo, Jacob Sorber, Jonah Bronson and Jonathan Williams. Previous to 1845 Clarke Wolfe, Jesse Kitchen, George P. Shupp, James Hawley and Edward Ide became residents.

Hollenback & Urquhart built a sawmill on the outlet of Harvey's lake in 1839. Joseph Frantz built the mill known as the Wildrick mill in 1843. It burned in 1879. Nathan Kocher built a small mill a mile below the site of the Beaver Run tannery in 1845. The mill owned by S. Raub was built by Mr. Benjamin in 1847. A lath and shingle mill is connected with this one: Jonathan Williams built a small mill on Harvey's creek for Kocher & Urquhart in 1849. One was built by Otis Allen in 1860 on Pike's creek. George Snyder and Ira B. Sorber built their mills in 1866.

598

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

F. A. and E. Williams erected a steam portable mill on the site of the Wildrick mill in 1879. The first gristmill was put up by Hollenback & Urquhart in 1840. They built a new one in 1860 just below. A planing mill was erected by the same parties. All the mills formerly belonging to Hollenback & Urquhart became the property of the Hoffman Lumber company. At one time the mills of Hollenback & Urquhart, at the outlet of Harvey's lake, cut each year over 1,000,000 feet of lumber. The present lumber interests in the township are the property of Albert Lewis, whose mills are at Harvey's lake. The lumber trade is closing up, simply because the logs are giving out.

The first road through the township was chopped out by the proprietors about 1875 to induce settlement, and ran from Wilkes-Barre to Bradford county.

All the early settlers lived in log houses except Otis Allen and Jacob Sorber, who built block-houses. The first frame dwelling was erected by Josiah Kocher in 1841. The Kocher brothers were carpenters, as were the sons of Otis Allen. The Allens were also millwrights. Stephen Kocher was the first blacksmith in Lake township.

The first store was kept by Hollenback & Urquhart for the benefit of the men in their employ from about 1850 until 1860. F. N. Ruggles established a store near the southeast corner of the township in 1872 and sold out in 1874 to his brother, C. W. Ruggles. James Sorber kept a store at Booth's Corners in 1863-5. Ruggles & Shonk had a store in connection with their tannery. Simeon Lewis kept store since 1871.

The Ruggles & Shonk tannery was built in 1874. The firm had built a saw- mill in 1872, which burned in the fall of that year and was rebuilt in 1873.

The first person buried in Lake township was Otis Allen, who died in January, 1842, aged fifty-six years. He was buried in the Allen cemetery. In September, 1842, Samuel C. Allen was buried here. The first person buried in the Kocher cemetery was Stephen Kocher, who died in September, 1842. The first in the West Corner cemetery was Mrs. Sarah Perrigo, wife of Moses C. Perrigo, June 26, 1852; the next, Martin M., son of Moses C. Perrigo, May 2, 1853, aged four years. The first burial in the White cemetery was that of Eva A., daughter of Theodore Wolfe, who died August 2, 1872, aged two months; then Gabriel Valen- tine, a stranger who died in the vicinity. The third was Mrs. Margaret Snyder, wife of Henry Snyder, who died September 2, 1872, aged seventy-nine.

The first school in Lake was taught by Jonathan Williams at the house of Otis Allen during the winters of 1842-3 and 1843-4. A schoolhouse was built during the summer of 1844 on the farm of Henry Ide. The first schoolhouse at West Corner was taught by a Mr. Williams in the winters of 1847-8 and 1848-9 in Nathan Kocher's house.

Outlet, at the south end of the lake, is a postoffice, and there is a gristmill here. The early postoffice was called Lake, but was moved several times and is now called Outlet.

Ruggles' old lumber camp, once a busy hamlet, is now going to decay; a store and sawmill constitute the place now.

Loyalville is a postoffice in a farmhouse.

Fade's Creek is a postoffice in the southern portion of the township.

LEHMAN TOWNSHIP.

This township was taken from Dallas in 1829, and named in honor of Dr. William Lehman. Its surface is undulating, and about one-third is good arable land; even the hill farms are productive, and when the many sawmills had done their work, the valleys and hill sides turned to green fields and beautiful lawns.

Its opening paragraph in history was one of the bloody episodes in the days of Indian troubles. March 28, 1780, Asa Upman and John Rogers were making sugar a short distance above the mouth of Hunlock creek, when they were suddenly sur-

599

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

rounded by Indiane and captured.' Upson was killed and Rogers carried off. Then they went to where Abram Pike was making sugar, near where is now the hamlet now called Pike's Creek, and captured Pike and his wife; camping here the first night and helping themselves to Pike's sugar. The ten Indian marauders the next day proceeded to where is the hamlet of Orange, where they captured Moses Van Campen and his aged father, and Peter Pence, killing old man Van Campen. They had painted Mrs. Pike and allowed her to return to her baby, which they had bundled and thrown on the roof of the cabin in the morning when they broke camp. How they carried the other prisoners to the mouth of Wysox creek, when by con- cert, Rogers, who was only a youth, and was the only one not bound at night, stole the Indian's knife, cut the others loose and they attacked their captors, killed some and the others fled. Some of the descendants of Rogers are now living in Lehman township. The story of Abram Pike and Moses Van Campen are told in the general history of the county. Pike has no descendants here; he spent the remainder of his life in the neighborhood, and lies buried in the Ide cemetary.

Nehemiah Ide and Jeremiah Brown in 1801 became the first settlers in Lehman township. The next man was named Avery, but he remained but a short time. William Fuller came in 1802, and two years after came his brother Isaac. Joseph Worthington in 1806 settled at Harvey's lake. That year came William Newman; John Whiteman in 1813; J. I. Bogardus and Ogden Mosely in 1814. About 1819 came Minor Fuller and Fayette Allen; Thomas Major in 1821, and Oliver Mekeel in 1823.

The first frame house was built by William Fuller, in 1801 or 1802, opposite the residence of his son, Chester Fuller. Isaac Fuller built a house in 1804; S. P. Ide in 1807; J. I. Bogardus and Ogden Mosely in 1814; Ezra Ide in 1819. Fayette Allen was the first carpenter; Daniel Whiteman, Nehemiah Ide and Oliver Ide were the others. Jonathan Heusted was the first blacksmith; his shop stood near the line of Jackson township, at Huntsville. David Gordon began blacksmithing in 1839, near Z. G. Gordon's. He was in partnership with Ira Lain, a cooper, and they carried on both trades. William Gordon was the first shoemaker. He lived where is William Wolfe's place. Dr. J .. J. Rogers was the first physician; followed by Dr. Moody about 1857. The first schoolhouse was a log building, in 1810, near the site of W. H. Ide's house. J. I. Bogardus and Obed Baldwin were the earliest teachers, and were followed by Julius Pratt, Burr Baldwin, Mr. Perry and Elijah Worthing- ton. The first schoolhouse at Lehman Center was built in 1836 by Daniel and Oliver Ide. Ellen Pugh and Maria Fuller were the first teachers here. Miss Fuller became Mrs. A. Ketcham. The next schoolhouse was the West Lehman schoolhouse, erected in 1842 by Nathan and Oliver Ide.

The first mill was erected in 1837 by Lewis Hoyt, Frederick Hartman, builder, on Harvey's creek. George Sorber built one this year, which was purchased by Jameson Harvey in 1840. This was burned in 1876, and Mr. Harvey built the present mill on the site. Mills were built by J. Harris in 1838; by Frederick Hart man, on the C. B. Major farm, in 1838, for Ephraim King; by Robert Major in 1836; by R. W. Foster and Ansel Hoyt in 1840; by Rice & Mumford in 1844; by George Shupp in 1856, and by the Rice Bros. in 1873. Several of these mills have been burned, and some are entirely gone. Morris Lain's stood where J. Harris built his; I. Rice, of Kingston, owned the mill built by R. W. Foster; Jefferson Miers rebuilt the Ansel Hoyt mill in 1856, and it became the property of M. V. Bogart; Sidney Major rebuilt the Rice & Mumford mill, which was owned by Jame- son Meeker; the George Shupp mill was burned in 1873, rebuilt by W. O. Ruggles.

The first store was opened about 1848, by Daniel Urquhart and Edward Shott, near where the Lehman Center schoolhouse stands. They sold to Bogardus & Fisher, who sold to Flick & Flannigan. Mr. Flick sold to Flannigan, who ran it many years and sold to R. A. Whiteman; the first postoffice was kept in his store in 1820, by John Whiteman; a weekly mail was brought from Kingston.

600

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

The first burial was Nehemiah Ide, age seventy-seven, February 8, 1823. The next was Amos Brown's daughter Annie, July 23, 1823, aged fourteen.

Lehman Center is the principal place in the township; two general stores, one hardware, one hotel, two blacksmiths. The first burial in the cemetery at this place was that of two children of Thomas Major, Jr.

Pike's Creek is a small hamlet-postoffice, store, church and a blacksmith shop. Named of course for Abram ("Indian") Pike.

LAUREL RUN BOROUGH

Was formed in 1881, of territory taken from Wilkes-Barre township, and is a station on the mountain side of the Central railroad of New Jersey. The postoffice name is Oliver's Mills, and except several mountain residences of citizens of Wilkes- Barre, the powder mills of Gen. Oliver constitute pretty much all there is of the place. The first borough officers were elected in February, 1882, as follows: Burgess, Henry Race; council, H. C. Burrows, Emanuel Marshall, Patrick Walsh, Alexander Young, Thomas Hughes and James Spearing; first clerk was O. H. Hartland. Present borough officers: Burgess, James Moyle; council, George Rother, president, Fredrick Gregory, Edward Lanning, Evans I. Harris, John Sheean, William Flaherty and S. L. Williams, secretary.

The Oliver Powder Mills company, organized and chiefly owned by Gen. Paul A. Oliver, purchased 600 acres of land, where is now Laurel Run, and their powder works, and built the plant in 1872, and commenced active operations in 1873. About 100 hands are in the employment, with a capacity of 1,000 kegs a day. The county has two other powder mills in it: The Dupont's at Wapwallopen, and the Laflin & Rand at Laflin.

LUZERNE BOROUGH.

Luzerne became an organized borough in 1882, of territory taken from King- ston township.

The history of its first settlers is given in the general history of the settle- ment of Wyoming valley, as epitomized from Miner, Pearce, Chapman and other chroniclers of those early times. Mr. Miner's History of Wyoming is not only accurate, but in most respects is full of those interesting details of the people, brought down to 1844. To this are added the valuable Annals of Stewart Pearce, coming down to 1866. Dr. F. C. Johnson, in 1889, published in his Historical Record a communication from the pen of John Mathers his account of Luzerne borough, that is so complete as to make the best possible history of the place, and we give it nearly entire:

"The area of Luzerne borough is 296 acres, bounded as follows: Beginning at the center of Union street, on the west side of the D., L. & W. railroad, thence along the same north forty-six and a half degrees, east one hundred and thirty- nine and a half perches, to the line between the Pettebone estate and the estate of Charles Bennett, thence along said line north thirty degrees ten minutes, west two hundred and eighty perches to an old railroad, thence along same south sixty- five degrees, west twenty-eight and a half perches, south eighty-three degrees, west one hundred and thirteen perches, to edge of dug road, thence north sixty- four degrees, west fifty-three and a half perches to buttonwood in Raub's mill- pond, thence south thirty degrees ten minutes, east one hundred and eighty-six and a half perches, east thirty perches, south thirty degrees ten minutes, east two hundred and three perches to place of beginning."

To accommodate the little fringe of settlers at the base of the mountains, and just west of the borough lines, that were too few to provide their own schools, the west line of the borough was extended in 1890 to the top of the mountain. This increased the borough area about 175 acres.

" After an absence of fifty years from my native town, 'Hartseph Hollow,' I

Leo H. Smutman.

601

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

return to tell you of Luzerne fifty years ago [named Hartseph, in honor of the early settler, Zachariah Hartseph].

" Within the present limits there were twenty-six dwellings, nineteen of which remain to tell the style of residences in 1839 and of an earlier date. A few of these remain where they were originally while the balance of the nineteen have been repaired or removed and only parts remain.

" Alighting from the train at Bennett station there can be noted at once the farm house on the Charles Bennett estate known in the olden times as the Isaac Carpen- ter house-a man from New Jersey of that name having bought the farm of the Nace heirs. Balser Carpenter lived and died in the house in 1839. Walking some distance on Bennett street we pass the Cramer house now occupied by Ellen, daughter of Morris Cramer who built it in 1823. That "lean to" on the E. W. Abbott's residence was built by two brothers, John and Jacob Hunter, in 1826. The front part of the house was built by Godfrey Bowman in 1811. Two tenants rented the house in 1839-Charles Pearce and Betsey Shaffer. This dilapidated structure on the corner of Main and "high toned " Walnut streets was known in my childhood days as the Amanda Pettibone house. The fabrick has an interesting history. The Peggy Shafer house was built by Christopher Miner in 1816, stood on the ground where Eliza Harris built her residence, and fifty years since became the home and property of James Mathers, father of John Mathers. The old house was moved on Buckingham avenue and is now the home of Nancy Walker. The old homestead on the Hughes estate is at present the home and property of A. M. Hughes, daughter of James and Hannah Hughes who were the occupants fifty years ago.

" This old house blacked with culm dust from the Black Diamond breaker was the home of our early friend Reuben Holgate. It was built in 1817 or 1818 and occupied fifty years ago by George Haughton. That low kitchen connected with the Luzerne house was known as the James Holgate house which was built eighty- three years ago. Susan Hicks lived there in 1839. The old red mill looks very natural. It was an old house when we were small boys, and was the property then of Holgate brothers; built eighty years ago. James Holgate occupied the house in 1839. Reuben Holgate built a store where J. E. Nugent & Co. now have a drug store, in 1830. It was moved across Hancock street about 1837, and is now a part of the Luzerne house, two stories of the front."

" The old red mill was built in 1839 for William Hanceck by Charles and John Mathers, two young millwrights. This was the first mill built by them after serving their apprenticeship. Their helpers were John Bartholamew, John Lott, William Haines, James Haines and Solomon Haines. The first miller was Lambert Bon- ham.

" That back kitchen on George W. Engle's rented house is a part of the old Philip Water's house, was built in 1824. George Houghton moved from this house into the Reuben Holgate house April 1, 1839. The house of Sarah Laphy was built by her husband David Laphy in 1836, who lived here with his family fifty years ago. The old house opposite the iron bridge was built about 1839 by Charles Laphy, who was then one of Hartseph's citizens. David Atherholt rented the house between iron bridge and Waddell's shaft, it was built by Jonas De Long in 1814 and fifty years ago was the home of Peregrine Jones, when it was known as the Jonas De Long house. . Thomas Waddell's rented house near the shaft was built by Josiah Squires in 1826, whose family resided here fifty years ago. Your humble scribe was born in this forbidding abode in 18 -. The Island schoolhouse was built between the years 1818 and 1825. It has been repaired a number of times. C. Hasbranch taught the winter term of 1839, hired for three months at $15 per month and board, commencing the term January 10, 1839.

" Between 1816 and 1820 a building was erected on the ground where H. N. Schorley's plaster and chopping mill is. This building and its connections were

602

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

used for different purposes in the olden times. Thomas Reese moved a barn across Toby's creek and had it for a blacksmith shop. This was then turned into a plaster and chopping mill, also a clover mill; an oilmill was connected with the building. Jacob Hoover had charge of it in 1839. The property was then owned by George Hallenback. Over fifty years ago George W. Little built the old part of Thomas Wright's mill. It was originally built fora plaster-mill. G. W. Little used it for a time as a dwelling."

About this time a boarding-house was erected for the accommodation of the "Louisa Little" furnace hands. It was built by Gaylord & Smith. William Wallace is now a renter in the house. The part of Raubville hotel that fronts on Main street was fifty years ago a storehouse built by Henderson Gaylor and Draper Smith in 1838. The front and old part of the residence of Mrs. Caroline Raub was built by George W. Little, and was his home fifty years ago. Raub's old red mill- house was built by John Gore in 1838. Henry Stroh was miller in 1839. Raub's white mill was built in 1812, by James Hughes, Sr .; it was repaired and repainted a number of times. George W. Little and John Gore owned the property in 1839."

" The ancient village was called Hartseph, in honor of Zachariah Hartseph, an old settler who lived here nearly 100 years ago. Our grandmothers used to tell us he had a son, Peter Hartseph, who ' was one of your handsome men.'

"The 'village blacksmith ' fifty years ago was Pierce Bowman, a resident of Pringville at this time [1889]. I met him the other day on his way home from Luzerne postoffice with his Herald, which he peruses with as much interest as he did the Gleaner in the days of long ago. He gave me the address of a number of our early acquaintances still living. The list includes John Mathers, Andrew Raub, Hiram Johnson, Mary Ann Hughes, Ann Maria Hughes, Charles Hughes, Margaret S. Hughes, Edward Hughes, James Hughes, Betsey Houghten, William Houghten, Sarah Lapley, Martha Raub, Mary Raub, Deborah Raub, Henderson Bonham, Fuller Bonham, Barnes Bonham, Catharine Wagner, James Hancock, Elizabeth Hancock, Catharine Hancock, Ann McCormic, Charles Pierce, Jefferson Pierce, Kate Line, Ellen Cramer, Priscilla Cramer, Caroline Cramer, Susan Cramer, Elizabeth Stroh, Mary Stroh, Ruth G. Stroh, Peter Stroh, Sallie Stroh, Christiana Stroh, John Fox, Lucinda Reese, Mary Haines, Rachael, Margaret, Sallie Leagraves, John S. Carpenter and Elizabeth Carpenter."

A few days after Mr. Mather wrote the above account of the early settlers he was at a dinner of the descendants of old friends and they made up the following:

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 76

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1532

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532